I would be the first to claim that I do not have a gambling addiction problem. Yes, I do go to casinos every once in a while, and yes, I play at online casinos every few days but I assure you I am not a gambling addict. Not a lot of my friends believe this though and I can’t blame them. I did, in fact, have lost a significant amount of money through various means of gambling but I have it under control. I have a system in place to make sure I don’t go overboard. And my bank account is a strong proof that I am a responsible adult who still think about my future and not just throwing around money on card games and slot machines. It’s all about planning, being a smart gambler, and a good betting system.

Gambling 101

Planning

I make a fair bit of money in my day job. And with no major responsibilities besides the usual rent/utilities and savings means I have significant disposable income. Some people may spend it traveling or funding their various hobbies but I chose to spend it on gambling. Once all my bills and responsibilities are taken care of, and my monthly savings plan is paid, the rest of my money I use for gambling. But I don’t just bet it all in one go. I plan the games I play at, studying each move as I make, analyzing the track record of the casino. Lately, I’ve been a regular at card games particularly poker and blackjack so I’ve managed to become a decent player at it. Confident in my skills at those games, I stand a good chance of either winning a huge some or minimizing my losses.

Playing Smart

One rule I always follow, I don’t bet more than I am willing to lose. Granted, with my significant budget for gambling my threshold is quite high, I can bet higher than normal but I always have a limit. It took me a while to gain this skill but with practice, I did it and it made me a better gambler. Setting a win limit also helps. When you’re on a winning streak, don’t expect it to last. Quit while you’re ahead or you will end up losing all your winnings. Also, learn to minimize your losses. A smart gambler should know when they are in a losing streak and therefore leave to avoid losing more money, meaning you should withdraw your earnings when you can.

Betting Strategy

This is a strategy that is based on the previous rounds in the game, how much you’ve won or lost. This is perfect for beginners because this kind of system only works in the short term. My personal system is betting 50% more each time I win. Just because I won the previous round doesn’t mean I’m going to win the next one so I bet cautiously but still increasing my betting. With this system, I am able to bet more during wins and minimize my losses.

I remember vaguely the first time I signed up to my first online casino. For years I have only just gambled with friends or in land-based casinos but the buzz that online casinos were making that time was hard to resist. I got curious and with minimal research, signed up to one. I ultimately had to look for a different casino that suited more of my needs but I will always remember the feeling of curiosity and excitement coursing through me as I played my first online games. I imagine times are different now. With so many online casinos popping up every few months, newbies will find it harder to decide on which casino to try first. But I assure you that’s the only difficult part. The rest of the sign-up process is a breeze. Here is my personal guide at signing up to a casino. (Info taken from https://www.hugecasinos.co.uk/)

A Guide to Signing Up

Research

If I could go back in time and do things differently, it would be spending more time doing research on the available choices of casinos I have. Back then, I merely glanced at the name and when I find a theme or graphics I liked, I clicked “sign up” without any thought. It turned out okay, there was no harm done but I wasted time on a casino I ultimately had to leave. The most important thing to consider is knowing what you are looking for in an online casino and matching it with the choices available. Make sure they are highly reputable with a clean track record. They also have to have all your preferred machines and table games. Some casinos offer live games while others pride themselves on their ambiance.

Background Checks

Because these establishments deal with huge sums of money, an integral step before signing up is doing a thorough background check on your choices. Note, casinos that operate under different countries are subject to different laws that might be different from the ones you are used to. Make sure that customer funds are separate from company funds and these can be found in the Terms & Conditions page. An independent audit record should also be available for public viewing to ensure that their operation is legitimate.

Signing Up

When I first signed up to an online casino, I expected them to ask for my personal information. This doesn’t seem to have changed nowadays, online casinos will still ask for details such as name, sex, date of birth, email address, etc. Note, when providing for your username and password, make sure you save them in a secure location for easy access in the future.

Validation

Not all casinos will allow new players to play immediately after signing up. Most of them will require you to verify your identity. This is pretty standard. In order to provide proof of identity, you can send them a copy of your passport along with your credit card or bank statement. Once verified, then you can start to explore all the possible games you can play within the casino.

People think that transferring funds into online casino accounts is a breeze but withdrawal of winnings is a hassle. They believe this is the case because casinos want to make it harder for people to get their money out of their accounts. Well, they are mistaken. Either they have no idea how online casinos work or they are sorely misinformed. Contrary to popular belief, casinos don’t make it harder for people to get their money. Why would they? Their profits rely heavily on people coming back into their doors to play their games. If they behave as such, people would be discouraged to come back. Therefore it is in their best interest to make their customer’s experience as enjoyable as possible.

The Basics of Casino Withdrawal

Limits

All online casinos impose some sort of restrictions when it comes to players making a withdrawal. They can come in three types, amount limit, time limit, or both. As the name implies, an amount limit stipulates the amount of money a person can withdraw from a single transaction. Time limit limits the number of withdrawal a person can make within a specific period of time. The last type is the kind that most online casinos use. They restrict the amount any one player can withdraw within a specific time period.

Verify Your Account

Most players, thinking all they have to do is transfer their winnings directly to their bank account, fail to realize this crucial step. This is a necessary requirement that is written in the law. In order for people to verify their account, they should provide their proof of identity, proof of address, and proof of payment. Proof of identity includes government-issued identification such as passports. Credit card statement or bank statement can serve as proof of purchase. This legal requirement serves to protect both the player and the casino from fraudulent transactions or underage players from entering.

Withdrawal Limit Tips

Players can do nothing to change the policy of casinos about their online limit. They can, however, look for better conditions as a means of getting their winnings without too much hassle. They can, for example, play at online casinos with a bit more lenient policies when it comes to their withdrawal limit. They can also limit their deposits, making sure what they put in does not exceed the withdrawal limit of the casino.

Quick Withdrawals

For players who want to make their withdrawals quick and easy, there are two options they can try. First, they can open an e-Wallet account such as Trustly, PayPal, Neteller, or Skrill. Since these e-Wallets already do most of their operations through the cloud, money transactions speedy and reliable. I personally prefer to withdraw my money through my credit card or debit card. I admit, it is slower than e-Wallets but I’ve gotten used to its method. It is, however, not less secure than other methods although it could take a few days for the money to reach your account.

All avid gamblers know the best options at funding their hobby. For land-based casinos, the process is straightforward, you either use cash for your wagers or you use your credit card. Ever since I’ve transitioned to online casinos, I have had to acquaint myself with new kinds of payment methods. In my years of gambling at online casinos, I’ve tried a few of these payment methods, but like any artisan in his trade, I’ve stuck to one kind for a number of years. But to all would-be gamblers, here are the different types of payment methods for online gambling.

Fund Transfer and Debit Cards

This is a very easy method to send money to online casinos. Many banks across the country have very secure ways of transferring funds. Customers simply have to fill out a form with their card details or account number and submit it. The funds should appear in your online casino account without any hitch.

Credit Card

Visa

For a number of decades, Visa has maintained its reputation as being the largest payment method network around the world. One very huge benefit to using Visa at online casinos is it is accepted at almost every establishment. When I use my Visa, I never have to fear that it will get declined (unless it’s maxed out). This is one reason why I used Visa when I first ventured into online gambling.

MasterCard

This is also another credit card with a very good reputation across the world. Like Visa, MasterCard is accepted worldwide and in almost all online casinos. It has a reputed safe and reliable transaction. Personally, I use MasterCard for all my online transactions not because I prefer it but it is what my bank offered and I’ve never had any issues with it.

E-wallets

PayPal

In recent years, PayPal has gained popularity because of its relative ease of use and reliability in transferring funds. More and more online casinos have begun allowing PayPal as an alternative payment method. I have never tried using PayPal but from what I’ve heard from my friends, they have never had any issues with it.

Neteller

This is an emerging start-up that has gained a lot of attention and success. Before it gained significant popularity, Neteller has been a common payment method in online casinos and poker rooms. A few of my online gambling friends have used Neteller’s service in the past without much incident. Today, it still maintains a notable presence as a preferred payment method in online gambling.

Offline Payment

Bank wire

At the beginning of the online gambling boom, most transactions used bank wire. But as more and more payment methods became available, bank wire has fallen in popularity. There is still a significant portion of online gamblers who use this service.

Western Union

Western Union offers both offline and online payment transfer. Customers can simply use their phone to transfer funds or go to a Western Union outlet and fill out a form.

The first thing I learned when I started gambling online is wager and wager requirement. It doesn’t take long to know what it means, but it takes a bit of practice to understand how it applies to online gambling. But in order to be truly proficient at online gambling, you need to understand how these two are related and how you can use it to maximize your winnings. Each casino requires a different wager requirement and depending on the game you play, it can either be a disadvantage or an advantage. Most players claim that wager requirement is just another way for casinos to leech money off of players, a sort of fee for players to pay before they can play, but they do serve a more practical purpose that not many people know about.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is wager and wager requirement?

Basically, a wager is money that you bet in a game. A wager requirement is an amount you need to bet so you can claim your winnings. For example, if I receive a winning of $50 with a 5x wager requirement, I need to spend at least $250 on games before I can claim any winnings I have gained. Each casino has their own house rule of how much wager requirement they charge to their players but they pretty much work the same way.

How can I know a casino’s wager requirement?

There are certain laws in place that require casinos to make their wager requirements public knowledge. This is usually found in the Terms and Conditions page. This is the part where players should read the fine print especially when they are offered a cash bonus or free spins by online casinos. Some of these bonuses require a minimum wager requirement before any winnings can be claimed. You can also ask customer support for the information if it is not provided clearly in the brochure or in their site.

Why it exists?

There are many players who think that wager requirements are in place for casinos to make as much money as they possibly can off of their players but that’s not actually the case. Wager requirements, by law, are enforced for casinos to comply with anti-money laundering. Without this law in place, it would be so easy for criminals to use online casinos to clean their illegal money through depositing and withdrawal.

How do wager-free bonus work?

Many casinos know the appeal of a wager-free bonus and take full advantage of them to lure new players into their doorsteps. These are bonuses or freebies that casinos give out to customers which can then be used to play any number of games. Any winnings that they accumulate can be withdrawn without any wager requirements. To offset the casinos’ expenditure, these bonuses have a small value, usually not amounting to more than $5. This is a good way for online casinos to promote their offerings and get people to sign up to their website.

For the many years I’ve been gambling online, I have created my list of top live games I keep coming back to. One reason I really prefer online casinos compared to land-based one is its convenience. I can play any table games I want in the comfort of my own home. Another reason is the sheer number of options I have when it comes to games I can play.

Land-based casinos, while they do offer a variety of options, they just don’t compare to the sheer number of options that online casinos have, and I don’t even have to move to a different location if one casino doesn’t offer a game I like. But one thing that land-based casinos offer that online ones can’t is the atmosphere which is something that a lot of people look for when they gamble. It is very difficult to replicate the energy and glamour that big land-based casinos have, although online casinos are certainly trying their best at competing. (Looking for slots machines? Check out best slots machines online.

They have begun offering live games whose dealers are streamed live in a studio or in a land-based casino. Here is a list of the top live online casinos I usually play at.

Online and Live

Live blackjack at Unibet Live Casino

It’s no question that one of my favorite table games is blackjack. I’ve been playing it since I was 10. I continue to play it all through my adult life with friends or in land-based casinos. I switched over to online because of the convenience it offers but I missed the atmosphere that real casinos offer. I got hooked to live blackjack over two years ago and I’ve been an avid fan ever since. Unibet has really paid great attention in trying to offer players the feel of a real game. There truly is a huge difference between playing with a live dealer versus playing with a random card generator program.

Live roulette at 888casino

888casino’s live roulette room is a favorite by a lot of roulette players. The experience is as close as you can get to a real roulette table without having to travel to a land-based casino. It uses an immersive multi-lens camera set up for players to feel the action and excitement.

Every bet, call, and spin of the wheel is captured in high definition and camera switches are automatic and seamless to capture all the table action. And when it’s time for the croupier to rest, 888casino quickly switches to another one to keep the game going without any interruption. They have truly succeeded in capturing the essence of a real roulette table.

Live baccarat at Evolution Gaming

Another one of my all-time favorite game to play is baccarat and Evolution Gaming has stepped up its level of experiencing the game. It replicates a Macau-like gaming experience to puts any players in awe and let them experience that action fully. Players have their choice of standard or VIP baccarat tables, as well as choose their own multi-camera studio set up to really deliver an authentic atmosphere of the game.

Who doesn’t want to get free stuff? I certainly do. Free anything is the best especially when all you have to do is sit in front of your computer and you are given a chance to make money. This is why I find online casinos so alluring. Land-based casinos are very stringent in their rules. They go to great lengths to make sure they maximize their income without their customers knowing so freebies in these casinos are almost non-existent. But online casinos are different. Because they are still an emerging market, they are still in the process of attracting people into their doors and they do this through a number of ways including offering free stuff. One very common way online casinos attract players is through free spins. Free spins are a popular form of promotion over others because it gives players a chance to register in the casino to possibly win real money and increasing their bankroll.

Different Kinds of Free Spins

No Deposit Free Spins

This is one very popular free spin because players are not required to make any deposit. They can sign up and start playing and a good chance of winning real money. This is one tactic that many casinos employ to increase customer sign up. Technically, these spins are not completely free since they require that players sign up to the website and provide their information but it’s a lot better than other deals where casinos require a minimum deposit in order for players to avail the free spin. But it’s an effective tactic nonetheless. A lot of players started playing because of these kinds of offers by online casinos.

Honest Spins

This is an uncommon free spin usually called a wage-free free spins, meaning there is no wager requirement when using them. So any winnings that you make out of this spin are for players to keep, no strings attached. It is a creative way of luring customers back to the site again and again. But, as I said, this is very rare. Not many casinos would ever willingly offer a wager-free free spin to customers, although it is possible to find one. I personally would love to find one of these rare gems, and if I do, I’m not going to waste my time.

Super Spins

In most cases of free spins, the spin itself has very little value. Yes, we win money but they barely amount to a dollar. I’m not used to winning such small amounts but I can’t really complain since it’s free. But with Super spins, customers have an increased chance of winning bigger amounts. Super spins are usually worth over a dollar so players have higher chances of winning bigger amounts. But no matter what free spins players are offered, these are great opportunities that should not be wasted. It is not every day that casinos hand out these free spins and in rare occasions, players end up winning a few bucks without betting any of their own money.

I am a huge fan of casinos ever since I was old enough to enter in one. I don’t consider myself addicted to gambling by any means, for me, it’s just a hobby. What I look for in casinos is not just about winning but the atmosphere it provides. If you’ve ever been in one, you’ll know what I’m talking about. It is a place where you can feel everyone’s excitement. For some reason or another, people are there to enjoy themselves. It is the perfect outlet for escapism. When everyday life is dreary and uneventful, casinos are anything but. With the recent ubiquitousness of the internet nowadays, it seems almost mandatory for casinos to explore its possibilities online, and some have done so successfully. They have even managed to transfer the atmosphere that is a trademark in almost all land-based casinos.

Top Online Casinos

King Billy Casino

A quick Google search will tell you that King Billy Casino is in almost every list of best online casinos and for good reasons. One reason is because of its reliability. King Billy Casino prides itself of a safe transaction without any delays in transferring funds or withdrawing winnings. What I find quite appealing is their medieval atmosphere that pays great attention to details. It offers a huge selection of games, including numerous live dealer games, and it also supports cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. Over the years, it has garnered a flawless reputation owing to the fact that they have an excellent customer care team, as well as great payment options.

Casino Room

Another reputable online casino is Casino Room. Their website offers many languages with a team of customer support agents on standby 24/7. Their progressive jackpot slots are a huge hit among its customers. They, too, have a wide variety of live dealer games for players to choose from. They pride themselves on their 500% first deposit bonus and a fast withdrawal process. They have maintained an almost flawless reputation since its establishment back in the late 1990s.

Malina

This online casino is a relatively new player in the game, having only been in operation less than 3 years. But it has jumped in everyone’s list of favorite online casinos because of how they treat their customers. They take every comments and complaint from their customers very seriously. In a very short time, they have an offering of games as wide as other more established casinos. One fact I really like about Malina is it is very to register, only requiring basic information.

888

I save my personal favorite for last. Since it first started operating, it has maintained a perfect reputation. They also have a very safe and reliable transaction, no hassle or delays in transferring funds or withdrawals. What I love most about 888 are their live dealer games. There are so many to choose from and I have made it my mission to try all of it. As a bonus, they accept PayPal as one of their payment methods, a huge relief on my part.